Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-09-25
THE GREAT AUX.

The great aux is like the dodo, so to
sveak. one of the back numbers OF ma
ture. It's remains now are as highly
rIized by naturalists as some old print
Of the sixteenth or seventeenth cen
Jury Ivy the bibliomsnisc. Once making
their home in the islands OF the North
Atlantic. the area OF their distribution
extending from the shores OF Northern
Europe across the ocean to NewfOund-
land and Labrador, Iceland and South
Greenland being included within tue
limit. they were in such numbers as to
cause many references to be made to
them by the nayigatora OF tue northern
seas contemporary of Columbus. The
great aux was notable for its
.ize. as it stood or sat erect it was
over two feet high. 1t had strong
bin or beak, something in the shape OF
that Of the razor bill. One OF its pc
culiaritits, and the ono to which it IS
indebted for its final extinction, was
the ridiculously snail wings. These
wings were useless for the purposes OF
ficht, but were used for swimming
purposes. The great aux was power
iul swimmer. With its web feet in mo-
ton i'll the rear ike a propeller, and its
wings beating rapidly itwould literally
fly through the water, making such
speed that powerful oarsmen in boat
could not oveItake it. But ashore it
WAS clumsy and stupid creature.
A MINIATURE IMAGE.
Nr. Palmer brought homo with him
a murre, or guillemot, member OF the
same ornitholo yical family rs the great
aux. Ihgmurre has disported itself
during the last week in the pool around
| the fountain in the rotunda of the Ma
fional Museum. 70 one interested IN
the great aux, this relative OF the ex-
tirct bird viii be of interest, as 1t IA
modelled in miniature very much nthe
same lines as the great aux. The murre,
however. has more wing and can fly,
and fly swiftly, too. Itstauds up straight
ike the great aux, and, like that bird,
is clumsy on shore, but wonderful
swimmer Diving under the surface 1t
will use its wings as in flight and make
astonishing speed. The great aux is
known to have made migratlOns eX-
tending over hundreds Of miles, and
depended solely on its powers as a
swimmer for such long journeys. 1t
WAS seen sometimes at sea, buhoting
The waves. hundred miles from land.
It's head. neck, back, tail, and wings
were Of glossy black, while its throat
and breast were white. 1t had u large
white spot between the eyes and bill.
HUNTED FROM THE MAIN LAND.
before Europeans sought the Ameri-
oan coast the savages, 1t is believed.
hunted tie helpless birds until they
we're driven to the rocks and islands
FAR out ut sen, inaccessible to the In
dians, with their primitive means OF
navigation. But towards the end OF
tle fifteenth century the bold sailors OF
Northern Europe began making expe-
litions into the waters where the great
auks kept their vigils on the rocks, and
tie war Of determination began. Early
writers describe these birds as found in
| great Numbers. On shore they fell
| easy prey to the mariners. Sometimes
rienk was laid from tho shlp to the
| rocky island, or sail was spread ont
Ike Il bridge, md over this the birds
we've driven aboard like so many geese,
or they were driven into pens and
slaughtered with sticks In such num-
bels were they found that ships sent to
the fishing banks were only scantily
supplied with provisions, the dePen-
dence for supplies being upon the great
RuEs which nature had provided in such
abundance.
TIE LAST SEEN ALIVE.
The last authentic record Of the great
/ auks having been seen alive was IN 1874,
ALen two were captured in Iceland.
In 1852 one is said to have been seen
alive on the Newfoundland banks, and
IN 1853 q dead one-perhaps the last OF
his race-was reported as found in
Trinity bay, but Symington Grieyes
thinks all reported observations since
lS44 are mistakes. So many years
have elapsed since it is positively
Known one was seen alive that
I'll hope has died out that any have es-
cape d the great destruction. As it fire.
quented isolated situations for the sake
Of security little is known Of its
habits. 1t lay but one egg, and this
was deposited on the bare rocks. Thus
scanty provision was made by nature
to repair the losses caused by the whole
sale destruction Of the harmless and
helpless birds. The great aux wsd-
dled from its rock nest in un-
peinly fashion to the brink, some
times tuInbling into the water from
quite a height, but once in the
water it was as graceful as yacht,
uropelling itself rapidly. 1t fed upon
small fish, which it caught with great
dexterity.
| Until recently there were only four
stuffed specimensin the United States
one at Vassar College. one in the
museum Of the Academy of Sciences,
Philadelphia, one at Cambridge, and
one in the Smithsonian collection.
Some time ago. however, stuffed
great suk was purchased for the
Metropolitan Museum in Central Park
for $500. The one belonging TO the
Smithsonian can now be seen there,
standing in case in one Of
the exhibition halls of the mu
scum building. Mounted on the
same stand is a great aux egg. There
are but ten complete skeletons In ex-
istence. The eggs. too, are very rare,
and as much as 500 mas been paid for
one at auction. The great aux has a
literature all its own. A number OF
nsturalists have devoted much OF their
time to hunting out its history and
Studying its traces. A volume, very
handsomely bound, was recently pub
lished in England by Symington
Grievts devoted entirety to the history,
archaeology, and remains OF the great
aux, or gare-fowl.
WHERE THE AUX BONES WERE FOUND.
The place where Mr.. Lucas made his
find was on Funk island, of the north
east coast OF Newfoundland. This Is a
lonely island. with prscipitous, rocky
sides, like fortress in the sea- Even
in ordinary weather the sea beats an
erily against the rocks, making u OK
csedingly dangerous to land. When
the weather is rough the island is prac'
iieally inaccessible. by good luck the
Grampus sighted Funk island at time
i"Len there Was an unusual calm' and